


Under The Open Sky

by Manetherendrelle (EndlessGloaming)



Category: Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan
Genre: Book 06: Lord of Chaos, Book 07: A Crown of Swords, Canon Compliant, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, the box
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:47:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29906145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EndlessGloaming/pseuds/Manetherendrelle
Summary: A missing scene set the night after Dumai's Wells. Rand's first night sleeping under the stars after getting out of the box. Min distracts him from his pains by stroking his hair. They have so much wistful longing for each other, and neither can admit it. After he falls asleep, and she soothes his nightmares.
Relationships: Rand al'Thor/Min Farshaw
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Under The Open Sky

Late in the night, with the just-past-full moon high in the sky, Rand finally went to his blankets. He let himself down onto his back as carefully as possible without looking like he was being careful. There would be no position he could lie down in without putting pressure on his bruises, and this way, he could look up at the open sky.

The Maidens had made a great fuss over him, wanting to set up a tent for him. The Cairhienin and most of the others had assumed he'd want to sleep in one of the wagons. In spite of it all, he'd managed to convince them to drag a feather mattress onto the ground so he could sleep under the stars without actually telling them that he'd rip all the wagons apart with the Power before he'd sleep inside anything enclosed.

He should change into clean clothes, but somebody would see how bruised he was. Light, he must be black, blue, and purple from shoulders to knees. The Maidens would have a fit. Well, more of a fit. He didn't want them to go killing the Aes Sedai. Most of him didn't.

Sleep tugged at his eyelids, but for at least a little while, he wanted to lie and look at the moon and stars and the blackness between, bask in the feel of the slight breeze on his skin, wonderfully cool and fresh in comparison with most of his recent time.

Soft footsteps sounded in the dry grass near him and he turned his head to see Min waking toward him, growing tentative as she drew close. Her expression turned resolute, and she sat down cross-legged next to his head and started slowly running her fingers through his hair.

Bit by bit, his muscles relaxed. Eyes half closed, he could have fallen asleep like that easily, but he was enjoying the feel of Min's fingers on his scalp too much. It was about the only part of him that didn't hurt, and for a time, that was the only thing he was aware of. He hoped she would never stop. It would be nice if she laid down next to him - no. He pointedly didn't look at Min - she might see the longing in his eyes.

She ran her fingers across his scalp, down behind his ears, to the nape of his neck. He could have started purring like a cat. She pressed lightly into the back of his neck. The muscles there must have felt like steel cords; even her gentle attention didn't make all his muscles loosen up, not yet. At least there were no bruises on his neck. Her fingers continued on down to the tops of his shoulders, and he tensed. It wasn't that he didn't want her hands on him - anywhere, really - but he was tender. She must have noticed, since she stopped abruptly and pulled his collar aside. He tried to turn his head to block her view, but she must have seen enough.

"Rand, how much pain are you in?" For a moment, especially when she said his name, he could have sworn that tone in her voice--no. Min didn't think of him that way. She was a friend and she cared about him. That was all.

"I'm fine." He shifted again, the feather mattress feeling like rocks against all his battered flesh.

"I don't believe you." Her voice was soft and filled a sad desperation.

"I feel infinitely better than I did inside the chest." _Or getting beaten._ "That's what matters." That was true enough.

They were silent again for another minute, with Min rubbing her fingers on just Rand's scalp and neck, before she spoke again. "Just think, when we get back, you can take a real bath." Her voice sounded light, but when he looked up, there were tears running down her cheeks. Without thinking, he reached up and wiped at them. She smiled weakly.

"Min, what-- I never even asked what happened to you all this time. Did they hurt you?"

She drew a deep breath. "Not much. They talked about beating me more to punish you, but they didn't." She hurried on, sitting up straight. "Anyway I already got Healed, so I'm fine." Her lips compressed. "I know you haven't, and I know what they did to you. I can only imagine how bad it was. Please, don't be in pain when you don't have to. Let someone Heal you."

Rand had already decided he'd kill Taim if the man tried to use the Power on him in any way, and there was no way under the Light he'd trust any of Elaida's Aes Sedai, and, despite their oaths, he didn't feel much better toward the rebel sisters. Was there any channeler he trusted? There were few enough people he trusted at all, and fewer still of those could channel. The only one with any talent for Healing was Nynaeve, and it would be silly to try to find her for this. Rand cleared his throat. "Maybe tomorrow."

She narrowed her eyes at him but didn't say anything.

Rand licked his lips. "How long has it been? I...couldn't really keep track of time." It seemed foolish once he said it. He had knew within about a day from the phase of the moon, but part of him wanted confirmation anyway.

Min spoke barely loud enough for him to hear. "I think it was twelve days they had you locked in the chest, if that's what you mean."

He nodded, looking out at the stars and moon again. Twelve days. It had been a period without time, endless, like he ceased to exist while it happened, or at least his mind ceased being in his trapped, agonized body. Through the afternoon and evening, since getting free, his thoughts had kept flashing back to some of the worst moments. Sometimes it felt like a great hand was squeezing his chest, and he'd have to force himself to breath normally. Now, thankfully, his thoughts shied away from the past week, instead focusing on the sounds of grass and leaves rustling in the breeze, the openness around him, and...Min's hands. She laid one hand flat on his cheek, still gently stroking, and it was even better than all this open space around him. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his forehead, and he had to restrain himself from moving his lips to meet hers. He couldn't do that to her. She was just offering him comfort.

Even in the warm night, feeling the heat of Min sitting so close was soothing, and her hands kept on stroking through his hair. He was relaxing again, mind starting to drift, and he weakly grasped at his thoughts. He should make sure Min got back to wherever she was sleeping. Did she have somewhere comfortable and safe to sleep? He should--

*

Min sat still, just holding Rand's head, not moving her hands. He seemed to be asleep. His breathing had gotten very slow, and just a bit of it escaped between his lips when he exhaled, making a not-quite-whistling. It was adorable, and sleeping, he looked more boyish than he had in a long time. In the bright moonlight, she could just make out his eyes darting around beneath his eyelids, as happened when people dreamed. His eyes squeezed shut hard, just for a moment, almost a flinch. It happened again and he turned his head sharply, hunching his shoulders. He sucked in a breath and something like a whimper slipped out of him.

Should she wake him? Light, he needed his rest. She resumed stroking his hair, even more slowly and gently than before. "Oh, Rand, you're safe now. You're out. You're free. You're surrounded by people who care about you and want to protect you. Dream about nicer things now." _Dream about me the way I dream about you._ "Things are fine." _Or at least as well as they can be after the gore this afternoon._ She kissed his forehead again. She kept telling him he was safe and people cared about him and were looking after him, and before long, he seemed to relax again. It was almost a physical ache, her desire to lie down next to him and hold him, but she got up and went to her own bed. At least she wasn't far away.

*

Rand hadn't mean to fall asleep, but with Min's gentle touch, despite everything, he'd felt at peace, and next he knew, he was waking to a sun well above the horizon. His joints still felt like hinges left out in the rain, and his muscles twitched, some violently, before he got them to move, but it was still better than he'd felt any day in the chest. The first thing he did, after he managed to sit up, was look around for Min. She was just picking up a pair of teacups and turning toward him with a wide smile. _She deserves so much better._ And yet part of him couldn't help but be desperately glad she was there, in spite of everything.

**Author's Note:**

> I calculated 12 days based on Perrin saying the Tower embassy had 4 days' lead on him, and I believe it took them 10 days to catch up, so 14 minus the time before Rand killed the two Warders trying to escape. Rand only tried to escape some time after they got out of Cairhien, and I don't think it said exactly how long, but I had the impression it was about 2 days out of the city. If anybody has a more precise timeline, LMK.


End file.
